Cherry Red
by Hello I'm Not Writing
Summary: It's World War Two and Americans are beginning to fear their Japanese neighbors. Internment camps have begun taking Japanese Americans away from their homes and friends. How Will Alfred and Kiku fare?


**Hello! I'm just gonna warn you right here, right now: if you see "Joseph" written anywhere, that's Alfred. This was originally something I wrote for school about my great-great-grandfather. I just tweaked it a little and decided it would be a good Ameripan fic! (I literally don't even ship Ameripan,I just thought this would be absolutely perfect.)**

 **Also, if you don't know what internment camps are, they're basically prisoner of war camps that all Japanese-Americans were put in during WW2.**

 **I hope you enjoy the fic!**

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It was another warm, sunny day.

The sun was at its peak, casting shadows beneath the cherry and apricot trees. The farm was all bright colors, greens and reds and yellows blurring into a lovely landscape. Clouds were in the sky, but the fluffy white shapes only added texture to the scenery. The weather was absolutely perfect.

And, yet, Alfred couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

A cool blanket of dread had settled over his heart and wouldn't leave him alone. He went about his normal work, but he couldn't focus on his tasks. He couldn't bring himself to get lost in his work. Today the brilliant red cherries were simply fruits, and the apricots didn't make his mouth water.

Early that morning, Alfred was sitting on his porch and watching the sunrise, as he did every day. The mailman rarely traveled down the little dirt road that lead to the Jones's residence. Neither their family nor their lone neighbor had any other relatives to get letters from, even less so since the war had started But, on that mid-June day, there was the mail truck bumping down the worn out pathway

Alfred continued to eye the vehicle as it persevered on. Finally, it slowed to a stop and turned into their neighbor's driveway. Alfred could just make out the mailman knocking on the other farmer's door. The door was opened and a man received the letter from the mailman. Alfred looked on as he tore it open. The mailman had started to move his mouth but Alfred had no idea what he was saying.

From there on, the actions between the two became wilder. Hands flew threw the air, coming very close the physical violence, but never quite crossing the line. Alfred got ready to dash over and help his neighbor out as he saw the mailman starting to back him into the wall. Suddenly, the other man shoved him off, and they were back to yelling. Eventually, Alfred's neighbor had slammed the door shut. As he left the residence, the look on the mailman's face was one of bitter glee.

The head of the Jones farm couldn't shake the feeling that something very wrong had happened this morning. What could that argument possibly have been about? His neighbor was a respectable man. The two men didn't speak too much, but they never had any issues. Alfred doubted he provoked the mailman in any way.

In the evening, just as Alfred was finishing washing the dishes, he heard a knock on the door. His children were upstairs with his wife settling into bed, so it wasn't them. Putting the plate in his hands down in the sink, Alfred walked over towards the sound. When he opened the door, there was his neighbor, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot.

"Hello," the man said quietly. "I live next door…. I was wondering if you'd like to bring your family over for dinner tomorrow?" Alfred was dumbstruck. His neighbor, who had not made any effort to socialize with him before, was standing on his doorstep, asking if they'd like to eat a meal together. Ever the good host, Alfred recovered his manners quickly.

"That'd be nice. Here, come in." Standing back to let the other man in, he waved the other man inside. His neighbor smiled and shook his head, backing slightly away from the entrance.

"Oh no, I don't want to intrude. Your wife is probably doing and the dishes and I wouldn't wish to distract you two from your duties." Alfred shook his head, waving the man inside yet again. He was determined to show kindness to his neighbor.

"No, my wife is upstairs going to sleep with the kids. Please, come in. It wouldn't be any trouble at all! You are a welcome guest in my house!" The guest looked down at his feet briefly before smiling up at Alfred again. He nodded his head and walked through the doorway. Alfred led him to the dining room, both men sitting down at a humble wooden table. An awkward silence followed as the two tried to think of what to talk about.

"So," Alfred said, "I don't think you've ever told me your name." The second farmer looked up from his intense gaze on his right hand, which he was using to tap a quiet yet fast-paced rhythm on the table.

"My name is Kiku. It is a traditional name for American-born children of Japanese immigrants." Kiku smiled quickly before settling his eyes back on his hands, which were now lying still on the tabletop. Just when Joseph thought that they were going to slip back into uncomfortable silence, he heard an almost whisper coming from his companion. "I don't believe I ever got your name either." The host didn't say anything for a few seconds, completely shocked that he had never even told this man his name.

"I'm Alfred F. Jones." The whole situation was laughable. They had been neighbors for however long, and they hadn't even exchanged names! This was the first real conversation they had ever had and Alfred had grown up with Kiku as his neighbor! The owner of the cherry and apricot farm found this so amusing that he started to chuckle. Then the chuckle grew into a hearty giggle, which evolved into a full blown fit of laughter. His neighbor stared at him for a while before gradually joining in.

Soon the two had relocated themselves onto the porch, watching the fireflies dance about in the summer night's air. The conversation had been flowing steadily since Mrs. Jones came down and forced them outside, claiming that they were being far too loud for her to get any sleep. The two men had been discussing everything from the weather to the war. Alfred tried to avoid the latter topic though because Kiku would get very quiet and uncomfortable whenever it was brought up.

Hours later, as the moon hit its peak position, the Japanese man seemed to remember how time works. He turned to his companion, who was staring up at the stars. The slight smile on his face was a drastic change from the forced pleasant expression he wore in the beginning of the night.

"It's gotten to be pretty late, I should probably go." Alfred faced his new friend and nodded his head, snapping out of his haze as well. "I'm sorry for keeping you up, you'll probably be extra tired tomorrow." Kiku's host waved his hand at the comment, batting it away into the realms of irrelevance.

"Nonsense! It was lovely to finally meet you tonight." Though it wasn't their first meeting, neither commented on it, understanding exactly what Alfred meant by it. The two stood and shook hands, still smiling brightly. It wasn't until Alfred was positive Kiku had gotten back into his house that he walked to join his wife in their bed.

The night had been a very pleasant experience and Joseph was glad that he finally had the chance to get to know his neighbor. However, now the question of why the mailman had started a fight with Kiku earlier was even more present. The Japanese man seemed far too polite to have initiated it, but why would the mailman just suddenly attack him? What could he possibly have against Kiku?

Alfred closed his eyes, bracing himself for a fitful night of rest.

Waking up had been no trouble that day for Alfred. For the past few weeks beginning his day had been no trouble for Alfred. Most nights he had a very restful sleep, full of wonderful and vivid dreams. Other nights, however, were not as nice.

His suspicion and unease with Kiku's incident with the mailman only grew the closer Alfred became to the man. It was silly, really, but the way the other man became when certain topics were brought up…. Whenever either commented on the war, the Japanese man would go quiet almost as though he were carefully thinking over each and every next move he made.

The suspicions caused by his friend's shady actions had started to leak into Alfred's dreams.

Sometimes he had nightmare after nightmare of Kiku doing horrible things to warrant the mailman's hatred for him. He could be an enemy spy, trying to gain information on his wife and his children! Maybe the mailman saw a suspicious letter addressed to him and didn't want Alfred's family to get hurt!

But Alfred knew these were ridiculous thoughts and that there was no way they could possibly be true. After all, if he jumped to conclusions about his friend then he was no better than the people shipping innocent Japanese immigrants off to internment camps. Kiku was a good man, and, more importantly, a man that had done nothing to make Alfred hate him.

Groggy, Alfred pondered this as he walked down the steps. His steps were soft, trying not to disturb the rest of his family. Just as he reached the entrance to his house and unlocked the door he heard a loud thump coming from his left. It took his mind a few seconds to process that was where his newfound friend lived. Just after the realization he heard another thump, this time followed by a loud shout.

Alfred immediately snapped into focus, sprinting over to his neighbor's aid. He stumbled onto the man's property and spotted a commotion over on the porch. Three men seemed to be all coming towards Kiku, and the poor Japanese man was trying to fend them off. Alfred rushed on forwards, hearing slurs being shouted by the other men as he came closer. One shouted something along the lines of "go back to your country!"

Alfred immediately flung himself at one who recognized as his mailman, trying to knock him to the ground. Kiku was shoved against a wall by the other two. The mailman was a vicious fighter, but the Jones was determined to defend his friend.

Eventually the other two attackers noticed Alfred and the mailman's tussle. They abandoned Kiku and turned their focus to the other farmer, which made him want to celebrate and panic all at once. They were closing in on him, knocking him down with blow after blow. The corners of his vision started to fade to black, the world was blurring around him. Just as it seemed hopeless and Alfred was certain that he was going to slip into unconsciousness, he heard someone shouting. The men's hits slowly stopped coming, and he heard the patter of feet running away.

Kiku stumbled into Alfred's vision, looking just as bloody and battered as the other farmer felt. The man of Japanese descent wobbled over towards Alfred who was still sprawled out on the ground. He helped him up and lead him into his home.

Once both farmers had wet rags to dab at their wounds with and were settled inside Kiku's living room, Alfred's questions finally began to surface. The silence was becoming unbearable.

"The cherry trees are very beautiful this time of year," Kiku commented absently. He was staring out the big window opposite of his guest, studying the scenery outside intently. Joseph could hear the need to erase the quiet in his companion's voice. "The green treetops are spotted with bright red. It's quite pretty."

"Kiku," Alfred cut off the rambling man. His tone was one heavy, and all of the suspicion he had been harboring for the past two weeks filled the room. "What were they doing?"

Finally their eyes met. Alfred could see sadness and… fear written all over the other man's expression. He felt a sudden wave of guilt for ever doubting his best friend's intentions.

"Some people think that I… that Japanese people are all evil." He was beating a rhythm on his thigh, drawing both of their attention to it. It was the same fast paced beat from the night they first met.

"But you aren't evil."

Alfred swore he would never forget the look on his neighbor's face when the weight of that comment sunk in. It was one of pure gratitude, of hope and happiness. It radiated the same warmth as the sun, the same brightness as the red dotted amongst all the green. That expression was one of a man who had just found a friend he could trust.

Alfred smiled back.

His companion dropped his gaze back down to his lap. Kiku's hands had stopped tapping, now awkwardly hanging in the air, almost as though they were experiencing an override. The next thing he said was so soft that Joseph almost didn't catch it.

"A few weeks ago the mailman came to my door…. He was holding a letter for me from the government." Alfred sucked in a breath and widened his eyes. Everything froze as his best friend said the next line.

"I've been asked to go to an internment camp."

The silence was back and as strong as ever. Neither could bring themselves to say anything. Alfred now understood Kiku's earlier comment on the cherry trees; they really were quite gorgeous this year.

The two sat in silence, observing the world through the window in Kiku's living room for what felt like forever. Shadows shifted with the sun as time passed. Alfred knew he should probably be doing his work, but some part of him was urging him to soak up all of the time he had left with the man who had grown to be a dear friend to him.

"Alfred." His name drew his attention back to said friend. The Japanese man looked like he was thinking something through, weighing all the possibilities and outcomes. Then, with a sigh, he appeared to reach a conclusion. "Would you… would you like to buy my farm?"

The question hit the older man like a ton of bricks. His friend was about to lose everything he had all because of prejudice and hatred. Alfred had never despised the war more than in that moment.

"No." Kiku's head whipped around to his companion.

"What do you mean 'no'? I'll sell it to you at a very low price and you can make lots of money off of my farm. It's not like I'll be able to watch after it." Alfred was angry at the world for putting his closest friend in the position that he had to sell his only home. And for that, Alfred was determined to stick it to the world.

"No, I don't want to boy your land." A pause, and then, "I will, however, take care of it for you. I'll make sure everything is grown and harvested correctly, and then I'll give you the profits."

"What? Why?" A friendly smile broke out on Alfred's face again. He tried to convey his allegiance to their friendship with the simple action.

"Because you're my friend."

The two came to an agreement on how Joseph would look after Kiku's farm. They planned everything down to the last detail, ready for any possible disaster that could strike. Neither knew when the Japanese man was to leave for the camp, but they felt is was coming soon.

Then one day as Alfred was walking over to his friend's house so they could finish planning the stunt, he knocked on the door and no one was there. He knocked again and again, thinking maybe Kiku had taken a nap. He stood outside on the porch waiting. Maybe his friend had run into town to get groceries?

But as the time passed, it became apparent what had happened.

The first few weeks were a little tricky. It was hard work to run just one farm, but managing two during harvest season? That was unheard of! Still, Alfred figured out a way to have just enough time to keep everything in check. As the seasons changed from summer to fall, fall to winter there were less crops to be managed.

Day after day, week after week, month after month Alfred worked his butt off. He was determined to not let his friend down. Both farms were making a steady income, collecting quite a bit of money overall.

Slowly a year passed. Then two. And just when they were dancing on the edge of a third, the news had begun to spread. It was all anyone had been talking about for days now.

The war was over.

Everyone was ecstatic. No more rations! No more constant fear of being attacked! The Axis Powers had surrendered! People were coming out of hiding and being released from prison camps. The change of spring to summer was one full of hope and happiness.

One particularly sunny Wednesday afternoon, Alfred was taking a break on his porch. The cherry trees were just starting to bloom. Then, he heard footsteps beside him. A figure made its way into the corner of his vision, plopping itself down next to him. Turning to it, he smiled.

"Long time, no see," Alfred said, slowly starting to smile. His companion grinned in response before staring out into the distance and responding.

"The cherry trees are quite lovely, aren't they?"

Alfred picked his hand up and rested it on top of his… friend's. He pecked Kiku quickly on the cheek.

"Yeah, they really are."

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 **Sorry that sorta sucked!**


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